Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-01
PROGRAM T..


is given entire in our columns to-day. 1t
is The utterance of clear independent,
and outspoken thinker and speaker, on a
subject to which he has given long and
careful study. To its fundamental pro-
position that party should never be an
end, but only means to good end, all
will give assent. To the inference, per-
haps fairly deducible from the suggestions
made, though not stated in terms by
the orator, that more harm than
good is done by parties, and that the
republican party, at least, has out-lived
it's usefulness, probably few of its hear
ers and few of our readers will agree. The
outlook of the orator, from his home in
the midst of the fraud and corruption of
the metropolis has been so different from
that of most of our New England readers,
that it is not surprising, if some things
look very differently to him from what
they do to us. Here in Vermont, no man
can name corrupt or disreputabe man
who has been placed and kept in any Office
of any prominence by the republicans.
There has been no slavish submission to
party tyranny on the part of the Vermont
epublicans-this MIR. Eaton admitted.
There has been no manipulation of our
politics by the Office holders. No man
can name a republican boss in this State.
Civil service reform has here had the sin
cere support Of the republican masses and
of their representatives. The change of
parties, which our independent friends
have brought about, has changed all this.
So far as the federal patronage is concern
ed this State is under as complete and
absolute boss rule as ever existed in
any community. Two unscroupulous
party politicians, themselves holding
fat offices under the government, parcel
out absolutely all the federal offices
have turned out of Office any quantity of
faithful, trusty and experienced non
partizan officials and have put in their
places with hardly an exception, men
whose sole recommendation is their abil-
ity to get out the democratic vote by
means of whiskey, falsehood and other
low inducements. The two Dos ses run
the conventions, dictate the nominations
and do all the business of their party in
this State. They and their personal
followers are the. democratic party of Yer
mont. The rest of the democracy have no
voice, or show, in any party matter. They
are nowhere, Civil service reform I'M
der such a condition of things has
here become laughing stock and
a farce. The federal service in this part
of the country is plainly deterioratng in
efficiency. 1t is what it might be expect
ed to be, where the federal Offices are
more distinctly regarded as party plumber
and are allotted with less regard to per
sonal fitness and character on the part Of
under any administration since that of |
Franklin Pierce. Vermonters, at least,
cannot be blamed if they judge of the |
present administration and of the expert |
ment of breaking up a fairly good party
for the benefit of a much worse one, by |
what they see around them.
We will not argue the necessity of or
ganization, in order to carry any good |
end. If there is a -party-which will be |
no organization-m millennium coming, it |
is not yet here, nor very near. Parties |
are here, and here to stay for a long while |
to come. And it is simple common sense
for their members to treat them as they |
do the houses they live in. If these need |
mending, they mend them. The sensible |
man does not burn his house over his own |
head even if it does not quite suit him, |
till he sees better one into which he can |
move.
Gen. Paiue'S new steel yacht, Volunteer.
whlc. Is expected to he faster than he
MaytlDXer will he lauIched oduv